All flights across the United States (US) have been grounded until further notice following a communication failure affecting the country’s air traffic control system, federal officials have said.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday, citing safety concerns and what it described as extraordinary circumstances.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the decision followed a communication issue affecting all Air Route Traffic Control Centres.
In a statement shared on social media, Duffy said FAA technicians were investigating the problem.
The FAA also issued an advisory instructing airlines to keep aircraft grounded until further notice.
“Traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice,” the advisory said, adding that international flights would be handled on a case-by-case basis.
The nationwide suspension is expected to affect domestic air travel across the country, while international flights will be assessed individually by aviation authorities.
The FAA has not provided a timeline for restoring normal operations.
Airlines and airport operators are likely to face disruption as they respond to the restrictions, although the full impact on passengers was not immediately clear.
The last nationwide ground stop in the US was issued in January 2023, when a technical failure affected the FAA’s Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system, which provides pilots with essential flight safety information.
Before that, the last time all flights across the country were grounded was following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The latest incident has again highlighted the importance of reliable communication systems in maintaining the safety and operation of US airspace.
The FAA said its technicians were working to identify and resolve the problem. Further details about the cause of the communication failure and when flights would resume had not yet been announced.
